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FOUR
THE MAUI NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1917.
THE MAUI NEWS
Entered at the Tost Office at Wailuku, Maul, Hawaii, as second-clais matter.
A Republican Paper Published in the Interest of the People
Issued Every Friday.
MAUI PUBLISHING COMPANY, LIMITED,
Proprietors and Publisher
Subscription Rates, $2.50 ter Year in Advance.
L, D. TIMMONS : : : EDITOR AND MANAGER
FRIDAY : : : DECEMBER 28, 191".
THE NElF YEAR
It is a peculiarity of life tliat it must have renewed beginnings. It
cannot go on indefinitely without its stops tlie end of one period and the
beginning of another. Suppose all comprehension of years and months
was wiped out, and we just drifted on and on into a vast forever, with
out any ends to months or years, or any new months or years, why,
it would he intollerable ! Our natures demand such milestones as New
Year, when we can reflect upon a definite, completed period of life, and
then push forward, with renewed vigor and hope, into another
definite period. A realization of a beginning, a middle and an end
of completeness is demanded.
The end of the year has come to l.c a period for clearing oft" the
.slate, and if rightly used the occasion may he an agency for much good.
Before the old year dies, we should look hack. If mistakes have been
made, they should be corrected before the clock strikes twelve next
Monday night ; and not be carried over to mar the innocence of the New
Year. If wounds have been left by the days that are gone, let us try
to heal them in the fleeting moments that remain. A million chances
to one you will, at the year's end, find your bad friend of the same mind
as yourself, and reconciliation may be easy and permanent.
When you have done all this, the New Year will have a peculiar
significence, and you will realize, as never before, perhaps, the full
meaning of the gladsome greeting "Happy New Year". It will, indeed,
be a "Happy New Year" to you ; and you will step forward into it, light
of heart and with unhampered confidence.
o
GRAIN AND ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS
The following interesting statement is sent out by the National
Food Administration :
The President has approved the recommendation of the Food
administration that the alcoholic content of beer should be reduced
in the first instance to 3 oo maximum and that the volume of grain
to be used in brewing shall be reduced to an amount, approximately
70 oo of the amount of grain formerly used, enabling the brewing
of the same volume of beer.
Further provisions are being made to increase the maximum
output of caltle feed from brewing establishments.
The Food Bill provides for the prohibition of the use of food
stuffs in the production of distilled spirits for beverage purposes and
the use of food stuffs for the production of distilled drinks was stop
ped on September 8th. There is, however, in the country from two to
three years' supply of whiskey, brandy and gin a.nd other distilled
liquors. The Food Bill provides that these liquors can be com
mandeered by the Government if required for purposes of manufac
ture of alcohol for munitions.
On the other hand, the requirements for industrial alcohol in
addition to normal output from sawdust ajid other waste products
is at present negligible.
Those who wish brewing entirely suppressed should therefore
bear in mind that if such a course were pursued the country would
be' placed on a whiskey basis entirely and the amount of alcohol con
sumed would most probably Increase.
The desirability of saving all the gain used in brewing from
the point of view of food conservation is therefore limited by the
social question Involved in the exclusive use of whiskey.
According to that, then, prohibition, besides its other advantages,
would not only result in an enormous saving of grain for legitimate
food purposes, but would leave the way wide open for the government
to use that "two or three years supply of whiskey, brandy, gin and other
distilled liquors" for "purposes of manufacture of alcohol for muni
tions". The "social question involved" would disappear in the muni
tions plants.
o
BRAZIL IX THE WAR
Americans have been so busy with their own preparations for the
war that little attention has been given to developments in the
countries to the south of us. To be sure Argentina has commanded
some notice, being drawn into the limelight by the Luxburg dis
closures and having since kicked up considerable of a dust. It now
develops, however, that the most important happening in South America
has been the quiet preparation of Brazil for active participation in the
war. It will doubtless be surprising to many to learn that Brazil has
not only greatly strengthened her navy but has developed a new army,
in addition to the home force, of 200,000 men which she intends to send
to France in the Spring. In order to accomplish that -purpose she has
been condemning, buying and building ships by wholesale.
In addition to that, is is learned on the best authority, Brazil some
months ago entered upon a campaign of doing her part in feeding the
Allies. The cereal acreage was enormously increased, and all other
crops suitable for shipment to Europe almost equally so; while cattle
raising has been encouraged to the limit. It is now predicted that in the
Spring she will not only be able to fill an important gap in the economic
condition of the Allied countries, but will be in position to assist the
United States, if need be, with both cereals and meats.
The point we wish to make is that Brazil is a far more important
ally than most Americans had been inclined to suppose. Her value will
be fully appreciated when the real war begins next Spring.
o
CORN IS KING
The "stranger" in the Blue Ridge leaned on the rail fence talk
ing to a long, rangy mountaineer. His eyes wandered over the poor
little hill farm, you know the kind a perpendicular field of rocks and
stumps and spindly corn, that is cut at the top of the hill and then pick
ed up at the bottom. "How much corn do you raise?" asked the
"stranger".
"Enough to do me," was the answer. The answer was ultimate;
the mountaineer had solved his problem. Enough corn to "do him".
Corn is king in America today. There is enough corn to "do us,"
more than three billion bushels. Yet Europe starves while we sit in
tiie midst of this golden plenty.
We have 30 bushels apiece and eat during the year less than a
bushel apiece.
Four fifths of all the farmers in America grow com.
One third of all the land under cultivation is in corn.
Then what is our answer to our Allies?
We will double the amount of com meal we eat. Yes, treble the
amount we eat, and release the wheat for you.
Let this be your answer to the plea of heroic France for bread.
Let this be our answer to the men who have held the line against our
common enemy for three years. Let this be our answer to the women
who have stood back of those men and held the second line. Let this
be our answer to the little ones who stretch their feeble arms to us cry
ing for bread. (Editorial by Food Administration.)
o
The National Guard of Hawaii is already mobilized and is carry
ing out the work intended for it by Uncle Sam raising sugar for the
American people and our soldiers in France.
Government control of the mainland railroads will be a splendid
thing for the public. All of the roads will be thrown into one vast in
terlocking system, under one set of directors, which will mean a more
advantageous distribution of rolling stock, the elimination of delays and
quite possibly, lower freight rales. Connecting steamship lines arc to
be brought together under the same system. What effect the latter
will have here is not yet clear, as none of our freight and passenger
steamship lines between San Francisco and the Islands are supposed to
be connected directly with any railway companies. Certain it is, how
ever, that Islands freight from the east will cross the contingent quicker
-.nd our sugar will reach the Atlantic side from the Pacific coast, in
less time than now. It is well.
o
To our way of thinking, the case of Miss Heuer, of the College of
Hawaii, does not call for, nor merit, a moment of further consideration.
A person of German nativity in this country is cither a loyal American
(outspoken as such) or an enemy. This woman admits that her sym
pathies arc with Germany, and that she objects to America making war
on Germany. Edith Cavell took some such stand in Belgium, then sup
posed to be an independent nation, in respect to her own land and Ger
many. Miss Heuer will remember her fate. Unlike Germany, America
c'ocs not make war on women. But there are times, even in America,
when traitors in high places are not to be tolerated, be they women or
men ; and it is little to ask that they retire from such public positions.
o
The Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company is to be commended
for the high stand it has taken in cutting out liquors on its steamers.
It might go a step farther, however, and cut out gaming on its passenger
vessels. As the matter now stands, gambling is carried on in smoking
rooms, on decks and in the steerage, and reports have it that professional
gamblers frequently travel up and down for the "good pickings" they
get on the steamers, out of reach of the Territorial laws. The steam
ship owners have control over the conduct of their passengers, and can
prevent gambling as easily and as effectively as they can slop drinking or
other misbehavior.
o
Maui has no cause to be ashamed of her Christmas present of $15,
551 to the National Red Cross. Considering the population of the three
islands in the county, the showing is excellent. In addition to that, sev
eral hundreds of dollars were at the same time raised for the local aux
iliary. o
The rumor that the business of Hackfeld & Company is to be taken
over by Americans sounds good, but, should a deal go through, it will
lake a long time to convince the public that the strings are not held in
Germany.
After all, it appears that Lahaina got the best of Wailuku in the
teccnt Red Cross drive, both in the number of new subscribers and in
he amount of money realized. In the matter of numbers, Puunene led,
but I'aia passed them all when it came to a question of coin.
Some months ago the government sent out warnings to the public
to be prepared for and discredit a rumor that a certain government
official had been shot for treason and that an American transport had
been sunk, as the report was of German origin, was wholly untrue and
was intended to create undue annoyance. American papers and
magazines afterward referred to the matter in a very impatient way,
and efforts wefe made by the government to locate the persons resion
ible for the canard. We mention this bit of rather ancient history now
for the reason that the identical rumor has appeared on Maui in the
past few days as news. It is a re-hash of the old canard and should not
be creditted by anyone, for it has been exploded long ago.
o
Portions of the crews of several lumber vessels arriving at Maui
lately have consisted of German aliens, of the I. W. W. tyje, they being
shipped out from Sound ports for these trips for the good of the lum
ber country. One of these vessels, having had her route changed so
that it was necessary for her to go to a French colony in the South
Seas, dumped her alien mess here, the men finally finding their way to
Honolulu. There are others of the same class here now, and we under
stand that still others are to follow. It seems to us that this is a matter
which the Governor should take up vigorously with the authorities at
Washington. Maui is loyal and decent, and we object to being imposed
t-pon in this way.
o
It now develops that the rumors set afloat several months ago that
the United States contemplated purchasing Russian interests in Sag
halicn and Kamchatka were entirely of German origin, set afloat to
create feeling in Japan against America. This incident further shows
the depths of German trickery with which we have to deal. Is it any
wonder that President Wilson uncovered only double-dealing and dis
honesty in his diplomatic efforts, prior to last April, to avoid war?
o
Superintendent Kinney is only performing his simple duty in
requiring unquestioned loyalty of school teachers in the employ of the
Department of Education. If there are teachers in the public schools
not in sympathy with the principles for which America is struggling,
they should be dismissed forthwith.
o
In regard to the recent Red Cross drive, Maui feels considerably
like the horse on the track that sprints for the finish, only to find, after
passing under the wire, that the other racers had dropped out at the
half-mile, or less.
o
The German army in Italy appears to have gotten itself in a posi
tion where it must fight or freeze, and the possibility of a successful
fight is becoming rather slim.
o
It was a fine, old Christmas after all now, wasn't it?
o
In 1918 : Do your "BEST" not "bit."
1
BUY CUDAHY
R
JL El
B
RAND
BEST
BEST
CANNED
Hi
CANNED
MEATS
MEATS
Eor Sale at Leading Markets and Grocers
Hewell M
eat Co.9 Ltd
Solo Distributors for the Territory of Hawaii.